Ronaldinho Released from Prison, Placed on House Arrest in Fake Passport Case

Former Brazil national team star Ronaldinho has been released from prison and placed on house arrest in Asuncion, Paraguay, according to ESPN. 

The 40-year-old made a $1.6 million bail payment after a judge agreed to review his case. He had spent the past month in a Paraguayan jail following his arrest on suspicion of using a fake passport on March 4.

The Paraguayan Public Ministry shared a photo of the passports Ronaldinho and his brother, Roberto Assis, allegedly presented to authorities:

According to Reuters' Daniela Desantis, a prosecutor in the case said the two may have been "tricked into accepting Paraguayan passports on arrival." The ESPN article noted Brazilian citizens aren't required to show a passport in order to enter Paraguay.

However, another prosecutor told a Brazilian outlet that "there are indications that other crimes were committed," per Reuters. A judge believed Ronaldinho and his brother were a possible flight risk and ordered them to be held in custody during the investigation.

Ronaldinho won the Ballon d'Or and spent time at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan during his playing career. However, Miguel A. Sanchez of Spanish paper AS wrote in August 2019 that authorities in Brazil revoked his Brazilian and Spanish passports because of a number of unpaid debts he had accumulated.